Bobbin winders for sewing machines



Aug. 1, 1967 G. SEALS ETAL BOBBIN WINDERS FOR SEWING MACHINES 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Nov. 16, 1964 Seals and Zucher ZTQRNEY INVENTOR.

George BY Norman E WITNESS g- 1987 G;$EALS ETAL 3,333,561

BOBBIN WINDERS FOR SEWING MACHINES Filed Nov. 16, 1964 V 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR. Seals and Geor orr n E. Zucher WITNESS ,ATTQRNEX United States Patent C) 3,333,561 BOBBIN WINDERS FOR SEWING MACHINES George Seals, Cranford, and Norman E. Zacher, Livingston, N .J., assignors to The Singer Company, New York, N.Y., a corporation of New Jersey Filed Nov. 16, 1964, Ser. No. 411,440 2 Claims. (Cl. 112218) ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A bobbin-holding device for a sewing machine bobbin winder capable of holding bobbins which do not have a central hole for a spindle. A cylindrical chuck holder having an annular groove is mounted on a spindle and a flexible chuck member having an annular flange is removably retained on the chuck holder by seating the annular flange in the annular groove. A flexible shallow cup-shaped flange on the chuck member and a flexible lip on the flange releasably receive and grip an end flange of a bobbin. Chuck members can be made having cupshaped flanges in many different sizes which can be easily interchanged to accommodate bobbins having different size end flanges.

This invention relates to bobbin winders for sewing machines and more particularly to a bobbin-holding device for a sewing machine bobbin winder.

Heretofore, there have been no bobbin winders capable of winding thread on a solid-center bobbin, that is to say, a bobbin having no central hole such as the type of bobbing disclosed in the copending United States patent application of F. G. Creter et al., Ser. No. 249,629, filed Jan. 7, 1963. When a solid-center bobbin is used on a sewing machine of the type disclosed in the United States patent of Ketterer, No. 3,115,855, granted Dec. 31, 1963, there is normally no problem because the thread can be wound on the bobbin in plate in the loop-taker. However, should it be desired to standardize the use of solid center bobbins and use them on sewing machines other than the type disclosed in the above mentioned patent of Ketterer, there is a problem because conventional bobbin winders require a central hole in the bobbin to accommodate the rotating-spindle of the bobbin winder.

Another object of the invention is to provide a bobbinholding device for a sewing machine bobbin winder in which chuck members having cup-shaped flanges in many different sizes can be easily interchanged to accommodate bobbins having ditferent size end flanges.

It is, therefore, a primary object of this invention to provide a bobbin-holding device for a sewing machine bobbin winder capable of holding solid-center bobbins on the bobbin winder.

The essential feature of the subject bobbin-holding device is the provision for a chuck member composed of a flexible material and having a shallow cup-shaped flange encircling one end to releasably grip the outer circumference of an end flange of a bobbin. The chuck member is secured on a chuck holder which is in turn connected to an end of a bobbin winder spindle for rotation with the spindle. An axial projection may be provided on that face of the chuck holder which is encircled by the cupshaped flange to project into a recess in the bobbin to supersede the frictional action of the cup-shaped flange in rotating the bobbin.

Other objects and a fuller understanding of the invention may be had by referring to the following descrip- 3,333,561 Patented Aug. 1, 1967 tion and claims, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings in which:

FIG. 1 is a fragmentary front elevational view of the top of the standard of a sewing machine illustrating a bobbin winder incorporating the invention,

FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view of the bobbin winder of FIG. 1 taken substantially along the plane containing the axis of the rotating-spindle for the bobbin and the axis of the pivot screw for the bobbin winder.

FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view taken substantially along the line 3-3 in FIG. 2.

FIG. 4 is a fragmentary top plan view of the top of the standard of a sewing machine illustrating a bobbin winder incorporating a modification of the invention, and

FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view taken substantially along the line 5-5 of FIG. 4.

With reference to FIGS. 1 through 3 of. the drawings, the invention is illustrated as incorporated in a sewing machine having a frame of which only a juncture 10 of a standard 10a and a bracket arm 10b are shown. The frame may include a conventional work-supporting bed (not shown), the standard 10a rising from one end of the work-supporting bed, and the bracket arm 1012 extending laterally from the top of the standard over the work-supporting bed.

Journaled in the bracket arm and the top of the standard is an arm shaft 11 which extends longitudinally through the bracket arm. A handwheel 12 is mounted on the standard-end of .the arm shaft. The handwheel has a V-shaped groove 13 formed in the circumference 14 to accommodate a V-belt 15 leading to a source of motive power.

A bobbin winder, indicated generally at 16, which may in part be of a conventional type, is mounted on the front of the standard of the sewing machine near the handwheel 12. The bobbin Winder includes a carrier-lever 17 which is pivotally mounted on the standard by means of a pivot screw 18 threaded into the standard.

Formed at the distal end of the carrier-lever 17 is a boss 21} having a bore 21 formed therethrough. A rotating-spindle 22 is journaled in the bore 21 in the boss. A means for rotating the spindle represented by a drive wheel 23 is connected to the handwheel-end of the spindle 22. The drive wheel has an annular rubber rim 24 adapted to be frictionally rotated by the handwheel 12 when the drive wheel is shifted into contact with the circumference 14 of the handwheel. Friction means may be employed on the circumference 14 of the handwheel 12 in lieu of providing the annular rubber rim 24 on the drive wheel 23. a

At the other end of the rotating-spindle 22, there is mounted a cylindrical chuck holder 25 which may be an attachment adapted for mounting on an extremity of a conventional rotating-spindle. The chuck-holder has an annular groove 26 formed in one portion of the circumference and a knurled surface 27 having ridges 28 formed in another portion of the circumference for mounting an annular chuck member 29. The chuck member is composed ofv a flexible material such as polyethylene and has a cylindrical hole or circumference 30 adapted to encompass the knurled surface 27 of the chuck holder 25. The ridges 28 of the knurled surface 27 of the chuck holder 25 run parallel to the axis of the chuck holder to more efliciently hold the chuck member 29 against rotation on the chuck holder. An annular flange 31 formed on the inner circumference 30 of the chuck member holds the chuck member on the chuck holder by seating into the annular groove 26 in the chuck holder.

Encircling the end of the chuck member 29, and integral therewith, is a shallow cup-shaped flange 32 adapted to grip the outer periphery or circumference of an end plate or flange 33 of a solid-center bobbin, indicated generally at 34, which may be of the type disclosed in the aforementioned copending United States patent application of F. G. Creter. The inner circumference of the lip 35 of the cup-shaped flange 32 is smaller than the outer circumference of the end flange 33 of the bobbin 34 in order to retairz.the bobbin on the chuck member 29. Although the circumference of the chuck holder 25 and the outer circumference of the end flange 33 of the bobbin 34 have been characterized as circular, they and the associated surfaces of the chuck member 29 may, of course, be polygonal.

Formed in the end flange 33 of the bobbin is a circular recess 36, and provided in the recess 36 is a stop means in the form of an axially extending abutment 37. An axial projection represented by a roll pin 38 may be provided on that face 39 of the chuck holder 25 encircled by the cup-shaped flange 32 to project into the recess'36 in the bobbin and supersede the frictional action of the cupshaped flange in rotating the bobbin. The relatively small portion of the circular recess 36 occupied by the axially extending abutment 37 obviates precise alignment of the bobbin with the roll pin 38 because no matter where the 'roll pin projects into the recess, it will seat against the axially extending abutment 37 upon rotation of the chuck member 29 relatively to the bobbin.

In FIGS. 4 and 5, a modification of the invention is V illustrated as incorporated in a sewing machine having a frame of which only a juncture 40 of a standard 40a and a bracket arm 40b are shown as in the embodiment of FIGS. 1 through 3. In FIGS. 4 and 5, the frame may include a conventional work-supporting bed, the standard 40a rising from one end of the work-supporting bed, and the bracket arm 40b extending laterally from the top of the standard over the Work-supporting bed. The top of the standard and the top of the bracket arm are closedby a cover plate' 41 which is held on the sewing machine by means of screws 42 of which only one is shown.

Journaled in the bracket arm and the top of the standard 40 is an arm shaft 43 which extends longitudinally through the bracket arm. Mounted on the standard-end of the arm shaft is a handwheel 44. The handwheel has a V-shaped groove (not shown) formed in the circumference to accommodate a V-belt leading to a source of power.

Mounted on the cover plate 41 of the sewing machine is a bobbin winder, indicated generally at 45, which may be of the type disclosed in the United States patent of R. E. Johnson, No. 2,938,478, granted May 31, 1960. The bobbin winder 45 includes a carrier-lever 46 which is pivotally mounted on the cover plate by means of a shouldered pivot screw 47. The pivot screw is held in a threaded bore 48 in a boss 49 on the cover plate. Secured to the distal end of the carrier-lever 46 is a cylindrical boss 50. The cylindrical boss carries a coaxial stud 51 which is adapted to rotatably support an integral assembly 52 of a cylindrical chuck holder 53, a spindle 54 and a drive wheel 55. The assembly 52 has an axial bore 56 to receive the stud 51 and is held on the stud by means of a screw 57 fixed in a threaded bore in the stud. An annular rubber rim 59 on the drive wheel is adapted to rotate the integral assembly 52 upon contact with a face of the handwheel 44. The face 60 of the handwheel may contain friction means in lieu of the annular rubber rim 59 on the handwheel 55.

As in the embodiment of FIGS. 1 through 3, the chuck holder 53 has an annular groove 61 in one portion of the circumference and a knurled surface 62 on another portion of the circumference to hold an annular chuck member 63 composed of a flexible material against rotation and against removal from the chuck holder 53. The chuck member 63 has a cylindrical hole or circumference 64 adapted to encompass the knurled surface 62 of the chuck holder 53 and an annular flange 65 adapted to seat in the annular groove 61 in the chuck holder.

Encircling the end of the chuck member 63 is a shallow cup-shaped flange 66 adapted to grip. and retain the outer circumference of an end plate or flange 67 of a bobbin indicated generally at 68 which may be of the type referred to in the description of the embodiment of FIGS. 1 through 3. A lip 68a is formed around the inner circumferenceof the edge of the cup-shaped flange to releasably receive and retain the end flange of the bobbin. In the embodiment of FIGS. 4 and 5, the cup-shaped flange'66 is shown gripping the larger 67 of the two end flanges 67 and 69. However, a chuck member having a smaller cupshaped flange could be provided to grip the smaller 69 of the end flanges 67 and 69 of the bobbin for the chuck member can be made having a cup-shaped flange in many interchangeable sizes. In addition, a roll pin could be provided as in the embodiment of FIGS. 1 through 3 to supersede the frictional action of the cup-shaped flange in rotating the bobbin.

In operation, in the embodiment-of FIGS. 1 through 3, when it is desired to wind thread on a solid-center bobbin 34, the end flange 33 of the bobbin is simply snapped past the lip 35 into the cup-shaped flange 32 of the chuck member 29. Upon rotation of the chuck member relatively to the bobbin, the roll pin 38 will seat against the axially extending abutment 37 in the circular recess 36 in the bobbin to supersede the frictional action of the cup-shaped flange in rotating the bobbin. The bobbin is rotated upon frictional contact of the drive wheel 23 with the circumference 14 of the handwheel 12.

The operation of the embodiment of FIGS. 4 and 5 is similar to the operation of the embodiment of FIGS. 1 through 3. The main difference is that the chuck holder 53 in the embodiment of FIGS. 4 and 5 is part of an integral assembly 52 which includes the rotating spindle 54 and the drive wheel 55. The assembly 52 rotates on the stud 51 upon frictional contact of the drive wheel 55 with the face 60 of the handwheel 44. Thus a bobbin-holding device has been devised for sewing machine bobbin winders, through which conventional bobbin winders can be adapted for use with solid-center bobbins.

Although the invention has been described in its preferred form with a certain degree of particularity, it is understood that the present disclosure of the preferred form has been made by way of example and that numerous changes in the details of construction and the combination .and arrangement'of parts may be resorted to without departing from the spirit and the scope of the invention.

Having thus set forth the nature of the invention, what' is claimed herein is: Y

bin-holding device comprising a cylindrical chuck holder at the end of the spindle opposite from the means for rotating the spindle and having an annular groove, a chuck member composed of a flexible material with two ends and having a cylindrical hole with a diameter correlated with the diameter of the cylindrical chuck holder for rotation-resistant mounting of the chuck member on the chuck holder, an annular flange'composed of the flexible material formed in the cylindrical hole in the chuck member at one end of the chuck member for seating in the annular groove in the chuck holder to retain the chuck member on the chuck holder, a shallow cup-shaped flange composed of the flexible material formed atthe end of the chuck member opposite from the annular flange and encircling the free end of the chuck holder, and a lip composed 2. The bobbin-holding device of claim 1 in which the 2,379,529 7/1945 Kennedy 24208.3 bobbin Winder has a stud, the chuck holder and the means 2,450,837 10/1948 Marsac 112218 for rotating the spindle are formed integral with the 2 933,473 5 19 0 Johnson 112 21 X spindle to form an assembly, and the spindle'has a coaxial 2 990 595 7 19 1 Van Buren 24 2 3 hole for rotatably mounting the assembly on the stud on 5 the bobbin Winder. FOREIGN PATENTS 1,173,423 10/ 1958 France. References CW1 1,164,788 3/1964 Germany. UNITED STATES PATENTS 7 5 7 7 1901 Roney 242 4 10 JORDAN FRANKLIN: Primary Examiner- 1,822,858 9/ 1931 Metcalf 242-46.7 H. H. HUNTER, Assistant Examiner. 

1. A BOBBIN-HOLDING DEVICE FOR A SEWING MACHINE BOBBIN WINDER HAVING A SPINDLE WITH TWO ENDS AND MEANS AT ONE END OF THE SPINDLE FOR ROTATING THE SPINDLE, SAID BOBBIN HOLDING DEVICE COMPRISING A CYLINDRICAL CHUCK HOLDER AT THE END OF THE SPINDLE OPPOSITE FROM THE MEANS FOR ROTATING THE SPINDLE AND HAVING AN ANNULAR GROOVE, A CHUCK MEMBER COMPOSED OF A FLEXIBLE MATERIAL WITH TWO ENDS AND HAVING A CYLINDRICAL HOLE WITH A DIAMETER CORRELATED WITH THE DIAMETER OF THE CYLINDRICAL CHUCK HOLDER FOR ROTATION-RESISTANT MOUNTING OF THE CHUCK MEMBER ON THE CHUCK HOLDER, AN ANNULAR FLANGE COMPOSED OF THE FLEXIBLE MATERIAL FORMED IN THE CYLINDRICAL HOLE IN THE CHUCK MEMBER AT ONE END OF THE CHUCK MEMBER FOR SEATING IN THE ANNULAR GROOVE IN THE CHUCK HOLDER TO RETAIN THE CHUCK MEMBER ON THE CHUCK HOLDER, A SHALLOW CUP-SHAPED FLANGE COMPOSED OF THE FLEXIBLE MATERIAL FORMED AT THE END OF THE CHUCK MEMBER OPPOSITE FROM THE ANNULAR FLANGE AND ENCIRCLING THE FREE END OF THE CHUCK HOLDER, AND A LIP COMPOSED OF THE FLEXIBLE MATERIAL AND FORMED AROUND THE INNER CIRCUMFERENCE OF THE EDGE OF THE CUP-SHAPED FLANGE FOR RELEASABLY RECEIVING AND GRIPPING AN END FLANGE OF A BOBBIN. 